It’s always a good feeling to get the high school basketball season off and running, and that’s exactly what happened Monday night in The Castle as the Bulldogs took on the Rockets of Rockcastle County.

It’s an even better feeling when you get the year off and running with a “W” as the end result, and for the Dawgs, that was also the case as they picked up a nice – very nice – 64-50 win that came against a hard-fighting, never give up, very respectable Rockcastle County basketball club.

For the record, Clinton County’s 2013-14 season got underway at 6:52 p.m. and with 6:30 showing on the first quarter game clock, Bulldog forward Clay Choate got the Dawgs’ offensive effort going with a field goal right under the goal.

Colby Langford dropped in “The Hook” for the first time this season with 1:37 showing on the first quarter clock and with 4:59 showing on the second quarter game clock, Bulldog guard Keifer Dalton dropped in Clinton County’s first three point basket of the season.

In addition, the win on Monday night brought Clinton County’s overall win/loss record since the 1939-1940 season back to an even keel status with 939 wins and 939 losses.

Credit that feat much to the successful coaching talents of head coach Todd Messer who has accumulated a mark of 129 wins against 79 losses in his career leading the Bulldogs.

When Messer took over the program at the start of the 2006-07 season, Clinton County’s overall record stood at 810 wins and 860 losses.

All of that being said to get the season started, what might we have learned from Monday night’s performance?

Clinton County should be a force to be reckoned with this season – both in the 4th Region as well as in games outside of this region.

The maturity the boys have gained over the off-season is more than just noticeable – both in bulk and size as well as in their ability to think through in-game situations.

We were behind and we fought back. We lost a lead and we worked our way back to the front and as the game came down to the end, we had a very nice lead challenged by the Rockets, yet the Dawgs clamped back down and before the final buzzer had sounded, they had regained control of the game momentum and stretched back out to claim the 14 point victory.

Then there is the depth factor. Coach Messer has a couple of players who need to be on the floor for as many of the game’s 32 minutes as possible, but he also has the ability to reach to the bench – not just a couple of times, but over and over to make his available numbers a factor as well.

By the time the game had reached just the third quarter, 11 Dawgs had seen action and all had contributed vastly in one form or another.

Bottom line – get in on this season early, fans – and mark it down, this is going to be fun!

Back on the local hardwood this week – twice, and a road trip to boot

This first week of roundball action holds aplenty of fun for local fans, with the Bulldogs again taking the local hardwood this Thursday night when we host Somerset in a game that will see junior varsity action get underway at 5:30 p.m.

On Friday, the Lady Dawgs get their season started with a trip to Bowling Green to take on the Lady Raiders of Warren East. Coach Darrell Thompson’s 2013-14 start will follow the junior varsity game that tips off at 6:00 p.m.

Saturday is being called “bargain day” at The Castle, with a full afternoon of roundball action when Franklin Simpson comes to town. Girls’ junior varsity starts at 3:00 p.m., girls varsity at 4:30 p.m., boys junior varsity at 6:00 p.m. with the nightcap game, the boys’ varsity tipping off at 7:30 p.m.